The Puppeteer is Prompt
by RockSunner
Summary: What if the Puppeteer acted faster when she had Ladybug's doll? One-shot.


What if the Puppeteer had acted more quickly when she had Ladybug's puppet? One shot.

 **The Puppeteer is Prompt**

Ladybug was pinned down around a corner by a hail of pause icons from Lady Wifi. Rogercop was also shooting his restraints. Evillustrator was sketching the barrier in order to erase it, and Chat Noir was preparing to charge with his baton.

This was really unfair, five against one. Puppeteer had the Ladybug doll and could take control of her at any time, but with luck the young super-villain was still distracted by directing the battle and wouldn't think of it in time.

Ladybug invoked "Lucky Charm" and got a spotted pair of left-handed garden shears. She tucked it into her belt, peeked out to scan for things to use, and...

"Ladybug, come to life!" said the Puppeteer.

The next thing she knew, Marinette found herself kneeling in front of Puppeteer with her earrings in her outstretched right hand. Evillustrator, Rogercop, Lady Wifi, and Chat Noir were all watching from a short distance away, with evil grins on their faces.

Puppeteer gloated, "Now I've won forever and ever."

A butterfly-shaped line of light was around her face. No doubt Hawk Moth was also gloating and praising the child for her victory.

Marinette realized she was no longer being controlled. If Puppeteer had to put people into their villain costumes to control them, it made sense that Ladybug, by taking off her earrings and detransforming, no longer looked like her puppet and was out of her power for the moment.

By Marinette's left side were the garden shears, fallen from the vanished belt. Puppeteer's wand, in her right hand, was temporarily forgotten in her moment of victory. It was pointing down, right in front of her. Marinette was careful to keep her right hand still as she picked up the shears with her left hand and snipped the wand in two. A purple-black butterfly flew out and Puppeteer collapsed in a burst of magic, transformed back to Manon Chamack. Marinette closed her hand around the earrings.

"Hey, what did you do to Puppeteer?" asked Lady Wifi.

The others were still controlled, and they had enough autonomy to react.

There was no time to transform, and if she did she might fall under the control of Puppeteer again. Marinette wasn't Ladybug, but the shears were created by magic while she was.

Marinette did the only thing she could. She threw the shears into the air with her left hand and shouted, "Miraculous Ladybug!"

It was just in time, because a pause icon from Lady Wifi hit her and she was paralyzed. Would it work? Yes! A bright burst of ladybugs came out, reverting everyone in the room and ending the pause.

Marinette still had an akuma to catch and there was no time to lose. She ran around the corner and put on the earrings.

"Tikki, spots on!"

Ladybug caught and purified the akuma. "Bye-bye little butterfly."

"I saw that, Ladybug. That is to say, Marinette," said Alya. "That was too obvious, running out with the earrings in your hand and coming back a second later. You've been lying to me, girl. I thought we were best friends."

"I saw it too," said Nathaniel. "Sorry Marinette, your cover is blown."

"No wonder I had to fight Nathaniel's akuma form alone," said Chat Noir. "It all makes sense now. But I think it's wonderful that I know the true identity of the girl I love."

Ladybug wilted. "Please everyone, can't we just keep this a secret between us?"

"The law frowns on vigilante activity, especially by a minor," said Roger Raincomprix. "I'll have to notify your parents about this."

"Wow, my babysitter is Ladybug," said Manon. "I'm gonna tell Mama and she'll put it on TV."

"Never mind," said Ladybug. "Hawk Moth must have been looking through the eyes of Puppeteer when I was mind-controlled to take off the earrings. My life is ruined."

"We may be able to get you and your family into a witness protection plan," said Roger. "You'll all have to move and change your names, of course."

"Would you really do that for us?" asked Marinette. "Thank you, Lieutenant."

"Wait, you're leaving and I'll never see you again?" said Chat Noir.

"My family is in danger now that my secret is out," said Ladybug. "It's the only way I can protect them. Don't worry, I'll get someone else to take on the power of Ladybug and protect Paris."

"Me! Me!" said Alya.

"Alya, you might have been a good choice, but did you have to say that in front of all these witnesses? Your identity is compromised now. I'll turn it over to a wise person who will pick someone new that none of us knows."

"You know a person that can be trusted to make that choice?" asked Alya.

"Not exactly, but I know someone who must know the person who gave the earrings to me, and I'll insist they tell me a way to pass them on."

"They can pick a new Chat Noir, too," said Chat. "I want to come with you."

"You can't, Chat Noir," said Ladybug. "What about your own family?"

"My father doesn't really care about me. Plagg, claws..."

"No!" Ladybug sprang at Chat Noir and put her hand over his mouth. "Don't mess up your life, too. When Hawk Moth is defeated and all this is over, I'll come back. You can show me your identity then and we can think about things between us. In the meantime, you need to work with the new Ladybug and show her.. or him... the ropes."

"Really, Bugaboo?" asked Chat Noir. "You'll consider me?"

"I should be over my crush by then. This move makes it even more impossible than it ever was."

"Not purrfect, but I'll accept the paws," said Chat. "I'll see you later, Purrincess."

Ladybug kissed him on the cheeks. Her Miraculous was flashing, but she didn't worry about the timeout in this case. She detransformed.

Marinette kissed Manon, Alya, and Nathaniel on the cheeks in goodbye, too. They all had tears in their eyes.

"I'll meet you at the station, Lieutenant Raincomprix," said Marinette. "I have earrings to return."

The End


End file.
